1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to food storage cabinets. More particularly, the present invention relates to cabinets for receiving and holding cooked foods in a heated and humidified environment for serving.
2. Discussion of Background
Food storage cabinets and steamers are well known. Keeping hot foods hot and moist until served is an objective of several patented devices. However, when access to the cabinet is needed on an irregular basis and when the temperature and humity of the air surrounding the cabinet is changing constantly, temperature and humidity control can be difficult.
Pinnow, et al. disclose, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,853,368 and its continuation-in-part U.S. Pat. No. 4,891,498, a cabinet using metered pulses of water of preselected duration and interval onto a heated surface to control humidity in a food storage cabinet. The pulsing is reset by a switch activated by the opening of an access door so that one or more charges of water vapor can compensate for the loss of vapor to the atmosphere through the opening. However, such an apparatus does not regulate humidity directly, that is, by measuring the humidity and then changing the humidity of the cabinet to meet a specified humidity level, and it fails to take into account factors affecting humidity that can change relatively quickly over the course of a few hours or even minutes. Without frequent, external adjustment to the controls, the humidity in such a cabinet can depart significantly from an appropriate level.
Pinnow, et al. provide water vapor for humidification by delivering water to a cast heating element which vaporizes the water. The apparatus disclosed by Rightly (U.S. Pat. No. 4,772,268) is a food warming cabinet that controls both humidity and temperature and circulates warm, moist air through channels in the sides of the cabinet. Rightley stores food in an upper chamber and generates the warm, moist air in a lower one. Plattner, et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,437,396) teach an air-heated sandwich bin that blows humidified air across "always open" access ports, creating a dome of warm, moist air. Rightley and Platner, et al., humidify with a water pan with an immersion heater in it.
There is a need for a food storage cabinet that closely regulates the heat and humidity about a certain specified temperature and humidity responsively and regardless of the number of times and duration of the time the cabinet door is opened or heated food is introduction to the cabinet interior and in spite of changing environmental conditions, and preferably a storage cabinet that receives the toasted or cooked foods directly before they have a change to cool.